The Sunti Sugar Company has donated a modern four-classroom block, worth N27.2 million, to St. Matthias Anglican Church School at Kusogi Community, Mokwa Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger.
In a speech at the inauguration of the building, the Chairman, Mokwa LGA, Alhaji Jibrin Muregi, commended the company for the gesture.
“Today, we thank you for your kind gesture, we also note that you have lived up to your corporate social responsibility (CSR) of providing amenities to the host community,” Muregi said.
He directed the council’s Education Secretary, Umar Tayi, to provide 50 chairs and tables to the school.
He also approved the immediate deployment of teachers to the school in order to complement the efforts of the sugar company.
The General Manager of the company, Mr Anlo Pisani, said the project was part of the company’s CSR toward developing their immediate constituency and encourage mutual co-existence between the company and its host community.
Pisani said that in Aug. 2022, the company conducted an independent needs assessment of its host community to identify priority areas for development, out of which education was given chosen.
“In realisation of the fact that education is key in providing a prosperous and happy life, helping to improve the economy and giving equal opportunity to all, the company decided to embark on an education project,” he said.
He further said that the project was funded majorly by the company and a foreign donor at the cost of about N27.3 million.
Also, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, called on all tiers of government, parents and corporate organizations in the country to give priority to education.
Abubakar described education as the surest and quickest way toward attaining the much needed national development.
The royal father, represented by the Ndacheko Nupe, Alhaji Baiwa Mohammed, also said that priority be given to commercial education, where different skills could be taught from infancy in order to de-emphasize the search for white collar jobs after graduation.
“You will be an employer of labour after being exposed to commercial education right from the kindergarten level,” he said.
He further urged parents in the community to enroll their wards in school to acquire western education.
He also advocated that the education of the girl children be given priority in order not to relegate them to the background in society.
The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kutigi, Bishop Jeremiah Kolo, thanked the company for the completion and donation of the project to the Church.
Kolo described it as a monumental achievement not only for the community but the state.
The building has offices and modern convenience.
